kowtow

英 [ˌkaʊˈtaʊ]

美 [ˌkaʊˈtaʊ]

v.  叩头; 磕头; 卑躬屈膝; 唯命是从

现在分词：kowtowing　过去式：kowtowed　第三人称单数：kowtows　过去分词：kowtowed　

TEM8

BNC.35359 / COCA.27978

牛津词典

verb

• 叩头；磕头；卑躬屈膝；唯命是从
  to show sb in authority too much respect and be too willing to obey them

柯林斯词典

• VERB 叩头;磕头；卑躬屈膝；唯命是从
  If you say that someonekowtows tosomeone else, you are criticizing them because they are too eager to obey or be polite to someone in authority.
  1. See how stupidly they kow-tow to persons higher in the hierarchy.
     瞧他们对上级唯命是从的样子是多么愚蠢啊。

英英释义

noun

• a former Chinese custom of touching the ground with the forehead as a sign of respect or submission
  Synonym:kotow

verb

• try to gain favor by cringing or flattering
  1. He is always kowtowing to his boss
  Synonym:fawntoadytrucklebootlickkotowsuck up
• bend the knees and bow in a servile manner
  Synonym:scrapegenuflect

双语例句

• Photos of a huge crowd in kowtow positions, first published by Li himself on his blog, raised the question: What's wrong with this person and his tactics?
  一张大群学生向其叩头的照片首先被李阳公布在自己的博客上，人们不禁要问：这个人和他的教学方法究竟出了什么毛病？
• They are there to govern, not to kowtow to vested interests.
  他们的职责是管治，而不是向既得利益屈服。
• They are, it is said, less likely to enforce the OECD rules or to kowtow to foreigners.
  据说香港和澳门不能执行OECD法规或者屈服于外国。
• Tomorrow I'll have Papa make you kneel three times and kowtow nine times before photographs of my grandparents as a penalty.
  明天我教爸爸罚你对祖父祖母的照片三跪九叩首。
• When the head of the giant software corporation refused to kowtow to the swami, he was promptly transformed into a little bug.
  当这个软件巨头公司的老板拒绝象神像叩首时，他马上被变作了一只小虫子。
• Have you seen the people when they make a long kowtow? Their faces and hands are all dirty, but their hearts are clean.
  见过磕长头的人吗？他们的脸和手都很脏，可是心灵却很干净。
• Sheldon: I'm taking a sabbatical because I won't kowtow to mediocre minds.
  我在休假，因为我不愿向平庸之流屈服。
• During the long journey, they wore wooden kneepad to protect their knees, kowtow every three steps until them arrived in Lhasa.
  在漫长的旅途中，他们带着木制的护膝，就这样三步一叩地来到他们心中的圣地。
• Can you imagine that I was give her a kowtow to beg her to spare me?
  你能想象吗？我跪下给她磕头乞求她放过我？
• I remembered watching people kowtow in front of the Potala Palace.
  他说：我记得纪录片里人们在布达拉宫前叩首的场景。